On Thursday (28/7/2022), the launching of Ma’had Aly Cendekia Scholarship Program was held online and broadcasted live through BAZNASTV YouTube channel. The ceremony was attended by the Commissioner of BAZNAS, Colonel (Purn.) Drs. Nur Chamdani, the Head of Education and Ministry of BAZNAS Farid Septian, the Head of BAZNAS Scholarships Sri Nurhidayah, and the Head of Indonesian Ma’had Aly Association Nur Hannan.
The National Board of Zakat (BAZNAS RI) officially opened the Ma’had Aly Cendekia Scholarship Program for low-income families in Indonesia. This scholarship is one of many BAZNAS’s programs to improve the quality of pesantren (traditional Islamic boarding school) in Indonesia.
Ma’had Aly is an Islamic Higher Education Institution which focuses on academic mastery of Islamic education (tafaquh fiddin) based on kitab kuning (lit. yellow book; a book used by many students of pesantren to master Islamic teachings). Recently, there are forty-eight Ma’had Aly campuses spread across Indonesia in accordance with Minister of Religious Affairs Decree No. 598/2020 about Evaluation and Assessment Status of Ma’had Aly. This decree serves as the basis of students who wish to pursue their education at any Ma’had Aly institutions.
The Commissioner of BAZNAS Colonel (Purn.) Drs. Nur Chamdani gave a speech about how the students should not feel insecure nor inadequate. He said, “ The student must be optimistic that ‘I’ could do so many for the ummah. I hope that the students could be the future ambassadors of BAZNAS who have a noble purpose, and who could lead Indonesia. Therefore, we launch this Ma’had Aly Cendekia Scholarship Program with the noble words bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Let’s strengthen our guard to remain faithful and prudent. Lastly, Chamdani delivered some words about how people with good religious knowledge have tremendous advantages and plus values. In his words he stated, “You all are kuntum khaira ummah or the students who will lead the ummah, the leaders of the future and also the living monuments and ambassadors of BAZNAS.”
The Head of Ma’had Aly Association Nur Hannan gave numerous thanks and appreciations to BAZNAS who has kindly given scholarship programs since last year. “Ma’had Aly is in a position as an Islamic higher education institution in pesantrens to be more significant and strategic. We also bear the responsibility to give solutions to the problems that the ummah faces, which are the scarcity of Islamic clergymen with good integrity, characters, and knowledge. However, this should not be our responsibility and pesantrens alone, but also the ummah of Indonesia’s too,” he said. He added that the effort BAZNAS has put in opening this scholarship program is a real contribution of BAZNAS and Ma’had Aly Association to resolve this scarcity of good Islamic clergymen issue in Indonesia’s ummah. “We hope that Ma’had Aly Cendekia Scholarship Program will continue in the next few years. We also hope that all BAZNAS officials will receive health, mercy, and bounty from the Almighty Allah swt.,” Hannan concluded.
Rep: Puskas BAZNAS
Source: https://baznas.go.id/Press_Release/baca/BAZNAS_Buka_Program_Beasiswa_Ma%E2%80%99had_Aly_2022/1148